BTC
+4.48%
71,823.00
USD
▲
MXN ≈ 1,250,949
cnbc.com
Meta debuts new AI model, attempting to catch Google, OpenAI after spending billions
Meta debuted its first major large language model, Muse Spark, spearheaded by chief AI officer Alexandr Wang, who leads Meta Superintelligence Labs.
cnbc.com
First ships pass Strait of Hormuz since Trump-Iran ceasefire, but traffic remains low amid confusion
Iran is reportedly planning to demand that shipping firms pay tolls in cryptocurrency to let their oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
theguardian.com
Retail workers call for more security after Waitrose worker sacked for tackling shoplifter
Shop workers’ union Usdaw says 59% of its members in its annual survey said they would welcome more security guards in stores Retail workers have called for more security guards in stores after a Waitrose worker was sacked for taking matters into his own hands and confronting a shoplifter.Waitrose has been criticised over its treatment of Walker Smith after the Guardian reported he was fired two days after he stopped a shoplifter taking items from an Easter egg display, including Lindt chocolate bunnies. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Oil prices plunge and shares jump on US-Iran ceasefire plan
Crude prices tumbled by more than 15% on the conditional pause but remain far higher than before the war.
theguardian.com
Will shipping in the strait of Hormuz – and oil prices – return to normal?
Analysts say doubts over stability of the ceasefire and damage to production sites mean the energy crisis is far from overMiddle East crisis – live updatesIf the US-Israeli ceasefire with Iran holds, it could offer the clearest hope of an end to the energy crisis since Iran’s Revolutionary Guards assumed control of the strait of Hormuz after the conflict began 40 days ago.But analysts fear that for hundreds of tankers stranded in the Gulf, any detente between the White House and Tehran will not be enough to return the flow of oil, gas, chemicals and other vital items to pre-crisis levels. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, Nvidia lead tech rally after Trump announces ceasefire with Iran
President Donald Trump's Iran ceasefire announcement provided some relief to Wall Street and tech stocks shared in the rally.
cnbc.com
European stocks close higher after U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal; travel stocks lead gains up 7%
European stocks closed sharply higher on Wednesday following news of the U.S. and Iran's ceasefire deal.
cnbc.com
Trump threatens tariffs of 50% on countries 'supplying military weapons to Iran'
President Donald Trump says the U.S. will impose tariffs of 50% on goods imported to the country from any nation "supplying military weapons to Iran."
theguardian.com
Ceasefire changes little for shipping in strait of Hormuz, experts say
Analysts expect only limited increase in shipping as vessels will still need to seek Iranian permission to transitMiddle East crisis – live updatesThere will be no “mass exodus” of ships through the strait of Hormuz, shipping analysts say, despite a two-week conditional ceasefire being agreed between the US and Iran with provision for the temporary reopening of the crucial maritime channel.Tehran said on Wednesday that it would offer safe passage in coordination with its armed forces, though its coastguards said any ship trying to transit without permission would be “targeted and destroyed”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Allianz sues six people alleged to have been part of Palestine Action protests
Insurance company seeking almost £300,000 for protests at UK offices, during which red paint was daubed on buildingsOne of the world’s largest insurance companies is suing six people alleged to have taken part in Palestine Action protests against the company.Allianz is seeking damages of almost £300,000 for protests at its UK offices in October 2024 and March 2025, in what is believed to be the first civil case brought against people accused of involvement in direct action with the protest group. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
U.S. Treasury yields fall sharply after Iran war ceasefire
U.S. Treasury yields fell on Wednesday after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week pause in hostilities.
theguardian.com
Oil prices plunge and stocks jump after Trump announces conditional ceasefire with Iran
Oil heads for biggest daily fall since pandemic as Iran says it will reopen strait of Hormuz under its managementMiddle East crisis – live updatesUS and Iran agree to provisional ceasefire as Tehran says it will reopen strait of HormuzOil prices tumbled on Wednesday and global stock markets rallied sharply after the US and Iran agreed a two-week conditional ceasefire.Investors hailed the news that Donald Trump had held off on his threat to bomb Iran into “the stone ages”, with Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, saying passage through the strait of Hormuz would be allowed for the next two weeks, under the management of Iran’s military. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Ray Dalio: Trump-Xi meeting to focus on trade, capital flows
Bridgewater founder Ray Dalio told CNBC he is optimistic about the outcome of a meeting between the U.S. and Chinese presidents next month.
bbc.com
Airlines cut flights and hike fares as fuel prices surge
Airlines have reduced services and lifted ticket costs as the Iran war weighs on jet fuel costs.
bbc.com
Government profiting from rising costs 'not right'
The consumer council says the government is profiting from rising fuel costs via taxation.
cnbc.com
Delta CEO says airline will 'meaningfully' cut growth plans, sees $300 million boost from its refinery
Delta is scaling back its flight plans as fuel costs grow to reduce its expenses.
theguardian.com
City veteran Ian Cheshire chosen to be new chair of Ofcom
Former Channel 4 chair and boss of Kingfisher to be appointed at crucial time for UK’s media regulatorBusiness live – latest updatesThe government has named the City veteran Ian Cheshire as its preferred choice to chair the media regulator Ofcom.Cheshire will be formally appointed to the role for a four-year term once he has been approved in a parliamentary hearing. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Alarm in health service over Palantir staff being given NHS email accounts
Exclusive: Sources believe AI tech company’s engineers have been granted access to directory of up to 1.5m staff UK politics live – latest updatesHealth service staff have expressed alarm that engineers working for controversial tech company Palantir have been given NHS email accounts.Employees using NHS.net email accounts have access to a directory with the contact details of up 1.5 million staff. Sources believe Palantir staff were granted the same access. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why it could take months for fuel and food prices to return to normal
Analysts fear long-lasting economic damage has already been set in motion.
theguardian.com
‘Should it all just be renationalised?’ – your water crisis questions answered
Sandra Laville has been reporting on England’s sewage crisis for years. She answered your questions on the water privatisation scandal.Guardian environment correspondent Sandra Laville’s reporting on the sewage crisis in English water has helped to expose a scandal of privatisation that has created a swell of fury across the political divide. Sandra has now finished answering your questions. Read the Q&A and join the discussion below.The government has put the cost of renationalising water at £100bn. But this is a disputed figure. Academics working with the People’s Commission on the Water Sector say this figure is ‘serious scaremongering created on biased evidence’ which was paid for by water companies. It is based on the Regulatory Capital Value of companies as determined by Ofwat, not the” true and fair value in law”, which reflects losses from market failures, like the cost of pollution or the monopoly profits taken by shareholders and banks.The route to renationalisation could come via the system set up legally when the companies were privatised. Under the law companies can be put into special administration if they are unable to pay debts, if they breach licence obligations, such as on sewage pollution, or failing to supply water, and if it is considered in the public interest to do so. Special administration is a form of temporary renationalisation.This is the million dollar question! While tackling separation across the whole network at once is considered too disruptive and costly, particularly in urban environments, the chartered institute of water and environmental management says moving towards separated systems is their key focus to address urban pollution and storm water sewage releases. New developments, for example, are now mandated to have separate pipes for foul wastewater and surface water run off.They also want to see the increased use of sustainable drainage systems like water butts, and storage basins for existing properties, to reduce the amount of runoff into the system. Keeping gardens rather than paving them over, and creating so called sponge cities is also key to tackling pollution.The UK was described as the dirty man of Europe back in the 70s and 80s, due to levels of pollution. For example in coastal towns there were no water treatment plants to treat sewage, raw sewage was just pumped and dumped into the sea. It was only when the EU directives came in that the clean up began. Chief amongst these was the Urban Wastewater directive, the Water Framework directive, and the Bathing Water directive.Since leaving the EU there have been fears that these pieces of legislation could be watered down. James Bevan, as CEO of the Environment Agency, talked about changing the Water Framework Directive, essentially to make it easier for rivers to pass tests for chemical and biological health. Currently no river is rated as in good overall health under the WFD where rivers have to pass both chemical and biological health tests. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Councils working on policy for heating oil support
A new government fund launched on 1 April will provide financial support for households on heating oil.
theguardian.com
John Lewis boss’s pay rises to £1.2m as retailer cuts 3,300 jobs
Jason Tarry sees salary increase by 21% in year to January, while fewer people are employed at John Lewis and Waitrose storesThe boss of the group that owns John Lewis and Waitrose was handed a 21% increase in basic pay last year to £1.2m while the retailer cut 3,300 jobs.Jason Tarry, who became chair of the John Lewis Partnership (JLP) in September 2024, saw his annual salary increase by a fifth to £1.2m in the year to January, from £990,000. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
It’s finally happened: I’m now worried about AI. And consulting ChatGPT did nothing to allay my fears | Emma Brockes
A highly alarming New Yorker feature on the machinations of Sam Altman drove me to test his AI for myself. The results were, well, highly alarming A corollary of the truism “don’t sweat the small stuff” is, by implication, “do sweat the big stuff”, but it can be hard to pick which big stuff to sweat. For example: since the 1970s, as the world has worried about inflation and rolling geopolitics, the big stuff we should have been sweating more urgently was the climate crisis. Last year, the top trending search on Google in the US was “Charlie Kirk”, with several terms relating to the threat posed by Donald Trump also popular, when the focus should arguably have been the threat posed by AI.Or, per my own Googling this week after reading Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz’s highly alarming lengthy piece in the New Yorker about the rise of artificial general intelligence: “Will I be a member of the permanent underclass and how can I make that not happen?”Emma Brockes is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump, Iran agree to two-week ceasefire, plan to open Strait of Hormuz
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had asked Trump for a two-week delay of his Iran deadline, and for the Strait of Hormuz to open for the same period.
bbc.com
Will UK petrol and diesel prices start going down?
UK petrol prices have risen because of the US-Israel war with Iran but the ceasefire could see prices drop.
theguardian.com
New Ofcom boss Ian Cheshire’s in-tray is full but one issue will dominate
Implementation of the Online Safety Act has just got going, leaving ex-chair of Channel 4 with a huge task on his handsUK politics live – latest updatesIan Cheshire’s Ofcom in-tray is big. It is available online under the regulator’s plan for 2026-27 and covers an array of industries: telecoms, broadband, the postal service, media and the online world.It is the latter that is going to dominate his tenure as chair. Ofcom oversees the Online Safety Act, the legislation that regulates social media in the UK. Much is expected of the act from internet safety campaigners, and a bit less from freedom of speech advocates, which leaves Cheshire in a difficult place. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Close Brothers shares surge after UK bank says it can ‘comfortably absorb’ cost of car finance compensation
Specialist lender says it expects its slice of £9.1bn compensation set by FCA to be about £320mClose Brothers shares surged on Wednesday after the UK bank declared it could “comfortably absorb” its slice of a £9.1bn compensation bill over the motor finance scandal, hours after one of its rivals announced it was selling its UK operations over looming costs.The specialist lender said it expected the final terms of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) compensation scheme to cost roughly £320m, a sum that was “broadly similar” to previous estimates and the £294m put aside to date. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Alibaba launches data center with 10,000 of its own chips as China ramps up AI push
Alibaba and China Telecom launched a data center in China designed for AI training and inferencing.
cnbc.com
Sánchez to Trump: Spain won’t ‘applaud those who set the world on fire just because they then show up with a bucket’
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has emerged as one of the European Union's leading critics of U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran.
bbc.com
Faisal Islam: Iran war pause is welcome but the economic scars will last
Allowing all ships through the Strait of Hormuz will calm markets but the war has created new problems.
cnbc.com
AI's next bottleneck: Why even the best chips made in the U.S. take a round trip to Taiwan
Nvidia has reserved the majority of TSMC’s most advanced packaging capacity. The lesser-known chipmaking step may become the next bottleneck for AI.
cnbc.com
JD Vance calls Iran ceasefire a 'fragile truce' and says Trump is 'impatient to make progress'
The U.S. vice president said the response from Iran to the ceasefire had varied, with some 'lying about even the fragile truce that we've already struck.'
theguardian.com
Family of man killed in shooting at Florida State University to sue ChatGPT and OpenAI
Lawyers for Robert Morales’s family said chatbot ‘may have advised the shooter’ on how to carry out shootingThe family of a man who was killed at Florida State University last year plans to sue ChatGPT and its parent organization, OpenAI, for allegedly telling the accused gunman how to carry out the mass shooting.Lawyers for the family of Robert Morales wrote in a statement they had learned the shooter was in “constant communication with ChatGPT” ahead of the shooting, and that the chatbot “may have advised the shooter how to commit these heinous crimes”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘We can’t increase prices any more’: UK hospitality firms hit by cost triple blow
Struggling pubs reel from rising business rates, wages and energy bills, with customers at limit of what they will payNick Evans is staring in vain at columns of numbers, trying to make them add up to a profit. He is a co-owner of the Old Crown Coaching Inn in Faringdon, Oxfordshire, a pub and hotel whose rich history is etched into its crooked wooden beams and cosy snugs.Oliver Cromwell stayed here in 1645. A room believed to have been used by the notoriously severe “hanging judge” Lord Jeffreys to condemn rebels now stages happier encounters: it is the honeymoon suite. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
JD Vance warns Iran to act in good faith in 'fragile' ceasefire – video
Iran must negotiate in 'good faith' during the two-week ceasefire, said the US vice-president, JD Vance, as he called it a 'fragile truce'.The US and Iran agreed to a two-week conditional ceasefire on Tuesday evening, which includes a temporary reopening of the strait of Hormuz, after a last-minute diplomatic intervention led by Pakistan, cancelling an ultimatum from Donald Trump for Iran to surrender or face widespread destructionUS and Iran agree to provisional ceasefire as Tehran says it will reopen strait of HormuzMiddle East crisis – live updates Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Britons warned about Russian hackers targeting internet routers for espionage
Expert stresses importance of staying alert for unusual activity, as hackers could ‘take you to fake sites’UK politics live – latest updatesRussian hackers are exploiting commonly sold internet routers to harvest information for espionage purposes, the UK’s cybersecurity agency has said.The hack could allow attackers to obtain users’ credentials, redirect them to fake sites, and potentially access other devices on their home network such as phones and PCs, said Alan Woodward, a professor at the University of Surrey. Continue reading...
bbc.com
UK house prices fall as Iran war uncertainty dampens demand
Mortgage rates have been rising and hundreds of the cheapest deals have disappeared over the last month.
bbc.com
Foodbank hub set to expand to meet growing demand
Stratford Foodbank is preparing to move to a larger unit, to meet growing demand for its services.
theguardian.com
Nike’s high-tech 2026 World Cup jerseys have a shoulder problem
The sportswear giant says it’s aware of the strange seam on some of the new shirts, and is looking into how to address itWhen Nike rolled out its collection of World Cup kits in late March, fans and pundits alike largely approved. The US men’s national team got arguably their most distinctive pair of shirts in decades, while other federations – France, England, Canada and Uruguay among them – earned strong reviews.Over the last international break, when players took the field in the kits for the first time, many fans couldn’t help but become fixated on one singular detail of the new shirts: a somewhat unsightly bulge along the shoulder seam. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK house prices fall in March amid uncertain impact of Middle East conflict
Average price dips back below £300,000 after higher energy costs have knock-on effect on mortgage ratesUK house prices fell in March, as the housing market lost momentum amid uncertainty over the conflict in the Middle East and the impact on the economy and interest rates.Figures from Halifax, which is part of Lloyds – Britain’s biggest mortgage lender – showed property prices dipped by 0.5% in March compared with a month earlier. As a result, the average price of a home slipped back below £300,000, to £299,677, after first crossing the milestone in January. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Network Rail worker wins race harassment case after EDL leaflet left in locker
Colleagues left anti-Islam leaflet in locker belonging to Parmjit Bassi, who is not a Muslim, and accused him of knife attackA Network Rail worker has won a race harassment case after his colleagues left an anti-Islam English Defence League [EDL] leaflet in his locker.Parmjit Bassi, who is not a Muslim, was found to have been the victim of a racist attack when his co-worker stuffed an EDL leaflet in his locker that asked “what individuals were doing to protect their children from Islam”. Continue reading...
bbc.com
What do businesses want ahead of the election?
Shops, cafes and restaurants in Cardigan say increasing costs and low footfall are making it harder.
theguardian.com
How do you convince Americans to eat fish? Disguise it as meat, of course | Arwa Mahdawi
To tackle the US’s woefully low seafood consumption, drastic measures are being taken. Enter tuna that looks like chicken nuggets and salmon masquerading as beef jerkyThe seafood industry is trying to tackle a slippery problem: the US has never developed a taste for fish. Americans will eat canned cheese product and put marshmallow “fluff” on their sandwiches, but they seem to balk at eating fish. The average American consumes about 19lb (under 9kg) of the stuff a year, while the global average is 45lb. Over in Iceland, they’re really getting their omega-3s in: they lead the world with around 200lb of seafood a year.Still, the tide may be turning: Big Fish has come up with a cunning plan to crack the US market. You know how there are sneaky ways of hiding veggies in recipes for picky toddlers? That’s basically the strategy. Except instead of hiding spinach in a chocolate pancake, the plan is to make fish look like meat. Think tuna that looks like chicken nuggets and salmon sticks that look like beef jerky. It’s not quite fake meat – it’s Fishy Meat™. Yum. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘The water is no longer our friend’: how dredging is pushing Lagos Lagoon towards ecosystem collapse – photo essay
Taking sand from the Nigerian city’s lagoon to supply a building boom harms more than fish – it affects the entire food chain, erodes coastlines and is depriving fishing communities of their livelihoodsBefore dawn, when the noise of Lagos’s danfo buses fills the air and generators rumble to life, the city’s lagoon is already stirring. Not from fish splashing or canoes gliding, but from the long suction pipes of the dredging machines, pulling up the lagoon bed and spitting out wet sand that will be used in the construction of high-rise blocks, housing estates and flyovers.Sand dredging is regulated by the Lagos state government and the waterways authority but in a city of more than 20 million people, where sharp sand has never been in higher demand, not all dredging is being done by the book.Dredging leaves its mark on the landscape along the shores of the Lagos Lagoon in Epe Continue reading...
bbc.com
Music giant Universal gets $64bn takeover offer
The music giant behind acts such as Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter gets an offer from Bill Ackman's Pershing Square.
bbc.com
India's lack of widebody aircraft a 'scandal', says incoming IndiGo chief
India’s aviation market is set to grow but is held back by limited long-haul capacity, says Willie Walsh.
theguardian.com
Bristol airport loses legal challenge against Cardiff rival over £205m subsidy
Tribunal dismisses claim that the Welsh government’s financial package breached competition rulesCardiff airport has won a legal challenge brought by its rival in Bristol over the fairness of a £205m Welsh government subsidy package.A judgment by the competition appeal tribunal on Tuesday unanimously dismissed Bristol airport’s case against the Welsh government, which Bristol had argued distorted the market and breached the Subsidy Control Act. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Countries around the world are considering teen social media bans – why experts warn it’s a ‘lazy’ fix
"I think the argument for a ban is an admission of failure that we cannot regulate companies, so we can only restrict children," one expert told CNBC.
cnbc.com
A fragile U.S.-Iran ceasefire sparks market relief — but no clear path to lasting peace
The fragile ceasefire agreement is likely to face significant challenges, analysts told CNBC, citing a significant trust deficit on both sides.
cnbc.com
IndiGo shares jump 11% as U.S.-Iran ceasefire is likely to ease India’s aviation sector woes
IndiGo shares rose 11% as the U.S.–Iran ceasefire could ease pressure on India's aviation sector, which has been grappling with high operational costs.
theguardian.com
‘A full-on embrace’: how the EU’s largest news publisher fell in love with the US
After recent purchase of UK’s Daily Telegraph, Axel Springer and its ‘guru-like’ CEO, Mathias Döpfner, have sights on transatlantic expansion In Mathias Döpfner’s 2023 book Dealing with Dictators, the chief executive of the German media company Axel Springer SE proposed a fix for western democracy: states that respect the rule of law should stick together and prioritise trading with each other. Better that, he declared, than indulging the illusion that doing business will tame “self-styled strongman leaders”.So it came as quite the surprise when last month Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, was given a prominent opinion article in Welt am Sonntag, less than four weeks before the riskiest elections of the rightwing populist’s career. “It caused a lot of strong irritation,” said a former editor at the Springer-owned broadsheet. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Lebanon's economy minister seeks clarity on ceasefire 'mixed signals' as Israeli strikes continue
Pakistan said Lebanon was included in the agreement, but Israel said it was not.
cnbc.com
U.S.-Iran ceasefire relief rally lifts global assets as oil plunges below $100
A 2-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran sparked a broad-based relief rally across risk assets, and even buoying traditional safe havens.
cnbc.com
South Korea stocks lead gains in Asia as oil prices plunge after U.S.-Iran ceasefire deal
Asia-Pacific markets opened higher after President Donald Trump said he agreed to suspend planned attacks on Iranian infrastructure for two weeks.
cnbc.com
Asian tech stocks surge as U.S.-Iran cease fire ease Hormuz disruption worries
Shares of Asian tech and semiconductor comoanies surged on the news that the U.S. and Iran agreed to a conditional two-week ceasefire.
cnbc.com
India's central bank warns of Iran war-fueled inflation, growth risks as it keeps policy rates steady
India’s central bank needs to weigh growth risks and inflation pressures from the Iran war as higher energy costs and supply disruptions mount.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Trump's truce sparks global relief rally
Stock futures surge and oil prices plunge as the Trump administration and Tehran agree a 2-week ceasefire.
cnbc.com
CNBC's UK Exchange newsletter: Brace yourself for rising bills as new tax year kicks off
Along with higher energy costs, due to the Middle East conflict, U.K. tax changes promise to add to the unpopularity of the Labour government in coming months.
theguardian.com
‘This is about people’s livelihoods’: how surging tool thefts are leaving tradespeople penniless and afraid
More than 80% of the UK’s tradespeople have had tools stolen. Some have lost months of work as a result. With thefts up 16% in a year, can the police and the government do anything to protect them?If you’re on social media and have even a passing interest in home improvement, there’s a good chance you will have seen Kevin Tingley’s work. The 39-year-old decorator is known as Paint Warrior – and has millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram. He’s in demand, highly skilled, generous in sharing tips from his many years of experience and even has his own range of products on sale in the UK and the US.But even with his social media army and branded brushes, he’s still not immune to the biggest threat faced by British tradespeople: tool theft. “It was Boxing Day morning,” Tingley says. “I was still in bed, my wife was on her way to the gym. She came running back in and told me that all the doors of my van were open.” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Gulf countries scramble to intercept missiles hours into U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement
Many Middle Eastern countries continued to report incoming ballistic missiles and drones from Iran on Wednesday, within hours after the U.S. and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Markets cheer as Trump and Tehran agree to 2-week ceasefire
Markets are rejoicing after President Donald Trump announced a two week cease-fire with Iran and Tehran signaled a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
cnbc.com
Trump faces calls for removal over threats to wipe out 'whole civilization' in Iran
President Donald Trump's threats to ramp up the U.S. offensive in Iran prompted calls for his impeachment or removal.
cnbc.com
Elon Musk seeks ouster of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman as part of lawsuit
Elon Musk is seeking to have OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and President Greg Brockman removed from their roles as officers in the company as part of a lawsuit.
bbc.com
The US refinery now processing Venezuelan oil
Chevron is now importing 250,000 barrels of crude per day from Venezuela.
theguardian.com
World held hostage by reliance on fossil fuels, Christiana Figueres warns – and climate health impacts are ‘mother of all injustices’
Exclusive: Former UN climate chief to co-chair Lancet Commission examining how sea-level rise is reshaping health, wellbeing and inequalityWhat are the health impacts of sea-level rise, and who should pay?Christiana Figueres: Sea-level rise is a health crisis and we must hold polluters accountableCountries are being “held hostage” by their reliance on fossil fuels, a former UN climate chief has warned, describing the health impacts of climate change as “the mother of all injustices”.Christiana Figueres, an international climate negotiator who helped deliver the Paris agreement signed in 2016, made the comments as she was announced on Wednesday as co-chair of a Lancet Commission examining how sea-level rise is reshaping health, wellbeing and inequality. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Indian migrant workers hit by cooking gas shortages are leaving cities
Migrant workers say they are struggling to access cooking gas cylinders as the Iran war squeezes supplies.
bbc.com
Oil price fluctuates ahead of Trump's Iran deal deadline
The US president has threatened to take out Iran "in one night" if it does not agree to open the Strait of Hormuz.
theguardian.com
Why is the UK government capping student loan interest and will graduates now pay less?
Decision to cap interest rate at 6% in England and Wales from September is unlikely to defuse row over crippling cost of debtFull story: UK caps interest rate on student loansThe government has announced a small concession for millions of university graduates in England and Wales with “plan 2” student loans.However, the decision to cap the interest rate charged at 6% from September is unlikely to defuse the row over the crippling cost of degree course debts. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK government caps student loan interest rates at 6% from September
Minister says change for plan 2 and 3 loans in England and Wales will protect borrowers from impact of global conflictExplainer: what the rate cap means for graduatesMillions of graduates will have the interest on their student loans capped at 6% from September as a temporary measure to protect them from the risk of rising inflation driven by war in the Middle East.Ministers acted after months of criticism over the loans becoming a “debt trap” that often leave graduates in England and Wales paying tens of thousands more than the original loan amount. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Neighbour plan to help food bank expand
The charity says the expansion at its base will give its support services a "new lease of life".
theguardian.com
Porn, dog poo and social media snaps: the ‘taskers’ scraping the internet for AI firm part-owned by Meta
Scale AI gig workers describe desperation of using people’s personal profiles and copyrighted work to train AITens of thousands of people have been paid by a company part-owned by Meta to train AI by combing Instagram accounts, harvesting copyrighted work and transcribing pornographic soundtracks, the Guardian can reveal.Scale AI, 49%-controlled by Mark Zuckerberg’s social media empire, has recruited experts across fields such as medicine, physics and economics – putatively to refine top-level artificial intelligence systems through a platform called Outlier. “Become the expert that AI learns from,” it says on its site, advertising flexible work for people with strong credentials. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘There’s a lot of desperation’: skilled older workers turn to AI training to stay afloat
They have degrees, expertise and years of experience – but can’t find work. For many Americans, AI training has become a last refuge in a brutal job marketWhen Patrick Ciriello lost his job and couldn’t find work for nearly a year, his family’s foundation crumbled.“You hear about people who hit rock bottom,” Ciriello told the Guardian. “Well, I was there.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
OpenAI encourages firms to trial four-day weeks to adapt to AI era
The ChatGPT-maker said its early policy ideas aim to prompt discussions about action needed as AI systems become more capable.
bbc.com
Plan 2 student loan interest rates capped at 6% in England
The cap on Plan 2 and postgraduate loan interest rates comes amid a risk of rising inflation.
theguardian.com
DC’s highly qualified workers can’t find jobs: ‘What is happening?’
Washington DC has the highest unemployment rate in the USAlicia Contreras was in Tunisia, working as the deputy country representative for Libya for USAID, when she received the news: she was fired. The Trump administration had ceased the cooperation agency’s operations and terminated most overseas staff. What she didn’t expect back then was that after a double major, an MBA and 17 years of experience as a public servant, she wouldn’t be able to find a job back at home.Contreras moved back to the Washington DC area last September and immediately started her job search. She looked for positions in both the public and private sectors, in-person, hybrid and remote. She focused her search mostly on the US capital city and its two nearby states, Maryland and Virginia, because of her family commitments: she has two children, ages three and six. Six months later, none of her close to 100 applications have been successful. Continue reading...
bbc.com
How the Iran war affects your money and bills
The conflict in the Middle East has increased pressure on the cost of petrol, household energy bills and even food.
bbc.com
Air India CEO steps down early as losses mount
Wilson, whose term was set to end in 2027, will remain CEO and MD until a successor is appointed.
cnbc.com
'The thaw is real': Indian delegation visits China to talk EVs and more
As the Iran war disrupts energy flows, Indian firms make their first China trip in five years, seeking EV, battery and renewable tie-ups.
theguardian.com
A new economic superpower could spark a global retreat from fossil fuels | Mark Hertsgaard and Kyle Pope
Eighty-five countries have sought a roadmap to phasing out fossil fuels. A conference this month offers hope they could uniteThis article is published as part of the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate NowThe Iran war is also a climate war. Beyond its terrible human costs, the war’s disruptions of oil, gas, fertilizer and other shipments is another reminder of the risks inherent in basing the world economy on fossil fuels. The war’s jets, missiles and aircraft carriers, and the tankers, refineries and buildings they blow up, represent millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions that further imperil a climate system that is already “very close” to a point of no return, scientists say, after which runaway global warming could not be stopped. Nevertheless, petrostate leaders around the world continue doing their utmost to stave off a desperately needed course correction.Now, a little noticed ray of hope may be peeking over the horizon.Mark Hertsgaard and Kyle Pope are co-founders of the global journalism collaboration Covering Climate Now Continue reading...
bbc.com
Price of first class stamp rises to £1.80
The rise come as the postal service faces criticism over missing delivery targets.
theguardian.com
My mother has been overpaid her civil service pension and ordered to repay it
Through no fault of their own, she faces repaying £100 a month until she is 93 or face legal actionMy 66-year-old mother has been told that she has been overpaid her civil service pension by £40,000 and must repay it, or face legal action. Once the tax she’s paid on the income is deducted, she owes £32,000.Her monthly pension payments have now been cut, which means her annual income will fall from £19,700 to £12,000, and she was, additionally, ordered to repay £496 a month for five years. This was later reduced to £100 a month, and a charge was put on her house as security. She’s been told she will have paid everything she owes when she’s 93. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Calls grow for UK government to automatically release child trust funds at 21
State-funded savings accounts set up for children at birth going unclaimed, with £1.5bn estimated to be sitting in bank accountsAs Elle Middlemas approached her 18th birthday, she began wondering if she had a child trust fund, a government savings account given to all children born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011, that can be accessed as soon as they officially hit adulthood.She quickly hit a dead end. She wasn’t sure if she was even owed the money and could find no information online. An email to HMRC seeking clarity led her nowhere. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Want to know capitalism’s endgame? Just look at private equity – it has captured our everyday lives | Hettie O'Brien
These companies now own everything from nurseries to care homes, squeezing vital services for profit while we foot the billIt was the free croissants that gave it away. And the Scandinavian-style furniture. And the tasteful pastel walls. It was different from other nurseries I’d viewed: marginally more expensive, the aesthetic equivalent of a WeWork for toddlers. I was eight months pregnant, on a tour of various nurseries in south-east London for my daughter. At the time, I didn’t realise that this wasn’t just a nursery, but a prototype for an immense experiment that is quietly playing out across Britain.The nursery I visited is backed by private equity, a surreptitious and tremendously powerful realm of finance that now has its hands on just about everything. Private equity funds and related asset managers own water companies, apartment blocks, student accommodation, care homes, children’s homes, funeral parlours and more. The titans of this industry have perfected a cradle-to-grave model of investment focused on the places we live, work, grow old, and eventually die, capturing these core services and squeezing them for profit.Hettie O’Brien is a regular contributor to the Guardian Long Read, an assistant Opinion editor and the author of The Asset Class: How Private Equity Turned Capitalism Against Itself, published 9 April Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Italy has the best benefits’: Milan takes on Dubai as home for the super-rich
With the UAE under fire from Iranian missiles, wealthy investors are turning to Italy’s flat-tax havenJust over a month ago, Dubai was the obvious destination for wealthy Britons in search of a new home. Few cities allow you to earn vast sums tax-free and spend them across any number of luxury hotels, restaurants and shops.But as the United Arab Emirates comes under Iranian fire, Dubai’s reputation – in part created by emigrant influencers – as a haven for the global elite is eroding. Super-rich UK nationals are now looking for a route back to Europe; and Milan, the financial centre of Italy, is climbing to the top of the list. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
George Monbiot on our fragile food system – podcast
The Guardian columnist speaks about why we need to tackle global food insecurity“There are lots of different components to food security,” the Guardian columnist George Monbiot tells Nosheen Iqbal. “If you are totally dependent on the production within your own borders, well, one bad harvest can throw you into insecurity.“So, a large part of our national food security, and this applies to many countries around the world, is now highly dependent on global trade. It means that if you have harvest failure in one part of the world, then the gap can be filled by production elsewhere.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
India's high-growth economy gets a Middle East oil shock
India's currency, stocks and growth projections take a beating as the country faces a triple energy shock due to Iran war.
bbc.com
Trump's deadline looms but Asian nations already have deals with Iran
Nations in the region have been keen to reach agreements as their economies are heavily reliant on Middle East energy.
bbc.com
Businesses scramble to get noticed by AI search
Firms are changing the way they present information on their websites, so they get noticed by AI.
theguardian.com
Tech companies are cutting jobs and betting on AI. The payoff is far from guaranteed
AI experts say we’re living in an experiment that may fundamentally change the model of workSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxHundreds of thousands of tech workers are facing a harsh reality. Their well-paying jobs are no longer safe. Now that artificial intelligence (AI) is here, their futures don’t look as bright as they did a decade ago.As US tech companies have ramped up investments in AI, they have slashed a staggering number of jobs. Microsoft cut 15,000 workers last year. Amazon laid off 30,000 employees in the last six months. The financial-services company Block eliminated more than 4,000 people, or 40% of its workforce, in February. Meta laid off more than 1,000 in the last six months, and, according to a Reuters report, may cut 20% of all employees in the near future. Just this week, the software giant Oracle laid off thousands of workers. Smaller players like Pinterest and Atlassian also made recent cuts, culling about 15% and 10% of their workforces, respectively. Estimates put the total number of tech layoffs in the past year at more than 165,000, according to the tracker Layoffs.fyi. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump says Iran 'can be taken out in one night' – video
At a press conference, the US president, Donald Trump, addressed his latest deadline for Tehran to reach a deal (8pm ET on Tuesday), adding: “The entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night.” Trump also threatened to jail a journalist – or journalists – who reported that a second US airman was missing after being shot down by Iran on Friday in an effort to identify their source. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for specifics about the media company Trump was referring to. A White House official later said an investigation was under way.Middle East crisis live: Trump says Iran ‘can be taken out in one night, and that might be tomorrow night’Trump threatens to jail journalist to find source of second missing airman report Continue reading...
bbc.com
Oil prices choppy after expletive-laden Trump threat to Iran
Brent crude rose above $110 then eased as the US and Iran traded plans for a potential ceasefire.
theguardian.com
New UK farm inheritance tax rule will cause ‘significant challenges’, say accountants
Levy on inherited farms and family businesses worth £2.5m or more comes into force 6 AprilA new inheritance tax regime for UK farms and family businesses comes into force on Monday and will present “significant challenges” for those affected, according to accountants.In October 2024 the government announced plans to levy inheritance tax on farms – prompting an outcry in many quarters. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'I jump in the sea to refresh my brain': How remote workers are boosting coastal towns
The rise in remote working means many professionals are choosing to settle in coastal and rural towns.
cnbc.com
AI data center boom ‘stress tests’ insurers as private capital floods in
Rapid technological advancements and the huge sums of money flowing into the data center are posing both risks and rewards for insurers.
theguardian.com
Move over Murdochs, here come the Ellisons – podcast
Margaret Sullivan on the the billionaire father and son buying up the US mediaSpeaking at a press conference last month, the US secretary of defence, Pete Hegseth, criticised CNN’s ‘fake news’ coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran.‘The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better,’ he told the room of journalists. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Spain's huge pork industry seeks salvation from swine fever threat
Countries around the world, including the US, have already stopped imports over the outbreak.
bbc.com
Benefits and pensions rise as two-child cap ends
Families on some benefits with three or more children will get an average rise of £4,100 a year.
bbc.com
How China fell for a lobster: What an AI assistant tells us about Beijing's ambition
The AI agent sparked a frenzy of "raising lobsters" in March, with users training the tool to suit their needs.
bbc.com
Pepsi withdraws as UK festival sponsor after Kanye West backlash
Sir Keir Starmer says it is "deeply concerning" the rapper is set to headline a festival after recent antisemitic comments.
bbc.com
State pension age starts rising to 67 - here's how much you get and when
The age at which people can start receiving the state pension is going up in stages over the next two years.
bbc.com
French-owned ship passes through Strait of Hormuz
It appears to be the first ship owned by a major European firm to go through the strait since the conflict began.
bbc.com
US jobs surge unexpectedly in March despite Iran war
Employers added 178,000 jobs, far more than had expected, the Labor Department says.
bbc.com
'I ended up paying £500': Your subscription trap stories
Many readers have experienced the ordeal of cancelling a subscription.
bbc.com
National Minimum Wage rises this week
Around 2.7 million people are set to receive a pay rise this week as the national minimum wage goes up by 50p to £12.71 for over 21s.
bbc.com
New laws to make it easier to cancel subscriptions
A crackdown on "subscription traps" could save the average person nearly £170 a year, according to the Department for Business and Trade.
bbc.com
How will car finance compensation payments work?
Millions could be entitled to compensation as a result of commission arrangements between lenders and dealers.
bbc.com
Are domes and spheres the future of entertainment?
Rivals are emerging for the Las Vegas Sphere - are domes and spheres the future for entertainment?
bbc.com
Why Chinese tech companies are racing to set up in Hong Kong
Mainland firms are using the territory to test products and as a springboard for global expansion.
bbc.com
The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
bbc.com
'Affordability is the biggest thing' - Conservatives mixed on economy under Trump
Conservatives gathered at the annual CPAC conference in Texas were mixed when asked about their feelings on the current economy.
bbc.com
The spiky cactus fruit giving Indian farmers a cash boost
Indian farmers are turning to dragon fruit as a profitable alternative to mangoes and coffee.
bbc.com
Who knew Lord Sugar is a table tennis fan?
The Apprentice candidates try to sell a table tennis set live on TV.
bbc.com
Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
bbc.com
The homeless teenager who became a successful advertising boss
Greg Daily has swapped sleeping on friends' sofas for running a popular digital marketing company.
bbc.com
Would you build your own apps?
Start-ups are offering tech for novices to create apps with the help of AI.
bbc.com
US weight-loss drugmakers slash prices in fight to win customers
Weight-loss drug prices are falling in the US - but can the example be repeated?
bbc.com
Germany has a shortage of workers - so it's turning to India for help
The European nation, struggling to find skilled staff, is giving jobs to young people from India.
bbc.com
'Club vibes without the hangover': The twenty-somethings going out - in the gym
Young people are driving a gym boom as more fitness spaces are transformed into vibrant hangouts.
bbc.com
Home working, long leases and rise of parking apps - what went wrong for NCP
How could a company that charged as much as £65 for a day's parking fail to turn a profit?
bbc.com
Colombia's budding tech scene needs a cash boost
Colombia has become a tech hub for Latin America, but attracting investors is a challenge.
bbc.com
Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
bbc.com
How Finnish supermarkets are central to the country's defence
The chains all have detailed plans to follow in the event of the nation going to war.
cnbc.com
Register now: Applications open for the World's Top Fintech Companies 2026
CNBC and Statista chart the top fintech players from around the world, ranging from startups to Big Tech names.
bbc.com
The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
bbc.com
Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
💬 Comments